Process and apparatus for sheet glass manufacture



J, l.. DRAKE 1,865,890

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SHEET GLASS MANUFACTURE July 5, 1932.

Filed Deo. 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UM ////////M 3mm/tofs Jahn 4L. Dra/fe tion.. resides, in the provision. of.

Patented July 5, 1932 Joann. nnaxnor' Torneo, OHIO, Assrenon 'ro LIBBEY-ownns=ronneLAss GOMEANY,

OF" TOLEBQ OHIO,

A CORPORATION; OF OHIO :arcor-:Ess: ann Arran-Amusrea sneer GLASS iria-nuFaciliunal y Application.y led December 20,

'liliisfinvention relates to aprocess andy apparatusfor forming and annealingl sheet or plate, glass.

In the production of' successive, sheets of l Yglass by. anzintermittent. rollingoperation, it

is, desirable. that the.v formation. of the sheet be; performed at arelatively great speed asicompared tothespeed at which it travels iin annealing, rllhis rapid formation of the glass, sheet, desirable .frein both the standpointv of production and quality While the, travel'. of the sheet. during annealing is necessarily slow in order, toavoid making the annealingVA apparatus of great length.

Aun important object. of the. present invena process and apparatus whereby successive sheets of glassmagv be intermittently formed at a relatively highlrateofrspeed. andsubsequently Vvannealed while. traveling ata relatively slower speed( Another object of the invention is the provision of aprocess andfapparatus for effecting a reduction in the speed of' travel of the sheetv as` itis being-@carried forwardly Where- 7 themovement. of thesheet canY be dropped from its relatively high forming speedl to a relatively slower annealingcrspeed in aneasy,

convenient and eiiicient manner.

Other objects` and. advantages the, course off, theA following des criptien4 When takenA inconnection With: the accompanying draw-ings:V

IIL-the. drawings. wherein like numerals are employ-ed to designate like parts throughout thezsame c n Fig@ 1.*isa:v vertical longitudinal section through apparatus provided. by the present c inuentiom,

Fig.2isa' plan viewv thereof.;V Figi 3. isthe.- annealing leer. showingthefmeans for effecting?Y vertical movement of certain of the highspeedrolls, f v v.

Fig? Ll-iis` aseetionaldetail view of the overrunning clutch. associated Withcertain of the low speedrolls, and

5V is a section taken substantially on 'Y line, 5-5fof` Fig. 4".

Referring'tolthe drawings', 10 designates a of" the in! vention.. will` become more( apparent during a. sidel elevation vof a portion vof 1929.A Serial No. 415,372.

receiver, or support adapted to receive there-I upon a. mass or charge of molten 'glass 11;l

from a pot or other suitablereceptacle` 12'.

rlhe mass'. of molten glass 111*` is preferably supplied to' the receiver when' ther same is;1 in

-a substantially horizontal position asindi# moveV do Wnwardly between'athe forming' ro'll's 13 and 14. .The forming rolls yare spaced from one another tov create a ysheet forming pass therebetween and are mounted upon shafts 15 rotatably supported at their` oppo? site ends by'membersfland 171,

As brought out above, itis desirable thatV the molten glass- 11 be rapidly# reduced to` sheet form. The forming rolls 13 and v14. are consequently'driven' at arel'ativelyhiglr peripheralspeed sol that they Will egifectthe* rapid formation-of the sheet. vOne off'the` forming rollsv may be positively; driven by; suitableA drivingV means 18v and tlie'other roll driven from the first roll-:through intermesh'- ing gears 19 mounted upont'he'roll shafts 15. The glass sheet or'plate-made by theform`r` ing rolls is indicated ati20': and-thesaidy sheet'- is supported as itleaves said roll-'sxy uponA an inclined runwayl or chute 21. Positioned in: proximity lto this' chute andladaptedi to receive the glass sheet or plate therefroma horizontal conveyor tableindi'cated init'sentirety by the numeral 22 and loein'g;pr,ef'eral')ly composed of a plurality of horizontally aligned rolls28 rotatably supported at their' opposite ends by the lside frames 24 and' 2,5'. The rolls. 18 may be driven in. any desired manner such vas rby associatingvvith eachV roll-Y Vdivided into two units or sections A and. B,

thel section A beingKter-med thereceiving'-- or transfer section, and B thev annealing section. The transfer section A is composed of a plurality ofv low speed; rollsr` (.driven at annealing speed) and a plurality of high speed rolls 3l (driven at rolling speed), the low speed rolls and high speed rolls being arranged alternately with one another, as shown. The annealing section B of the leer is composed of a plurality of low speed rolls 32 arranged in horizontal alignment with the rolls 23, 30, and 3l when the high speed rolls 31 are iii-their elevated or sheet supporting position, these rolls being vertically adjustable as a unit as will be more clearly hereinafter apparent. The rolls 32 of section B are driven at a constant annealing speed from a motor 33 through suitable reduction gearing 34 and a vchain and sprocket drive 35, the sprockets (not shown) being associated with the rolls and the sprocket chain 35 being trained -thereabout.

According to the invention, each of the low speed rolls 30 'of section A of leer 29 is adapted to be positively driven at a relatively slow speed substantially equal to the speed ot the rolls 32 of section B. `However, the rolls 3 0* are free to overrun so that while they are positively driven at a slow speed, they may be rotated by the sheet passing thereover at a greater speed and thereby caused to overrun their driving means. This is herein accom- `plished by the provision of overrunning clutches which may be of the type illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. These overrunning clutches eac-h include a sleeve 36 keyed to the shaft 37" of the respective low speed roll 30, said sleeve being provided with ratchet teeth 38. Encircling the sleeve 36 is a ring 39 through which extend a plurality of pivot pins 4U, screw-threaded at one end as at 4l to prevent accidental displacement thereof. The pins 40 carry pawls 42 and also a sprocket wheel 43. The collars44 and screws 45 are provided to prevent accidental displacement of the ring 39 and associated parts. The sprocket wheels 43 of the various lon7 speed rolls have trained thereabout a sprocket chain 46 preferably driven from the motor 33 which drives the low speed rolls 32, although a separate drive can be provided for these rolls if desired. Thus,-the rolls 30 and 32 are adapted to be positively driven in unison at substantially the same speed.

The sprocket wheels 43 are adapted to beV positively driven in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5. Normally, the pawls 42 engage the teeth 38 on sleeve 36 to positively drive the rolls 30. In theevent, however,

that the linear speed of the glass sheet 20 exceeds the peripheral speed of the rolls, the sheet is allowed to ldrive the rolls faster than they are positively driven4 due Vto the frictional contact between the sheet and rolls.

Whenthis occurs, the pawls 42 simply ride mounting the high speed rolls 3l ot leer secly hereinafter apparent.

tion A so that they can be raised and lowered as a unit with respect to the low speed rolls 30 to the end that the said high speed rolls can be moved into or out of supporting contact with the sheet, the purpose of such arrangement being to provide for the change in the speed of travel of the sheet from its relatively high forming speed to its relatively slower annealing sp-eed as will be more clear- Thus, the high speed rolls 31 project at their opposite ends beyond the side walls of the leer and are rotatably supported by the horizontal supporting frames 47 and 48, said frames being movable vertically to raise and lower the rolls jacent its front and rear ends a depending n,

link 49 pivotally vconnected with a shaft or pin 50 to which is also pivotally connected a link 5l, said link being pivoted at its lower end to a fixed block 52. i Connecting the pins 50 the iront and rear ends of each side y frame 47 and 48 is a rod 53 and pivotally associated wi th one of said pins 50 is a pitman 54 pivoted as at 55 to ran eccentric 56, said eccentric carrying a gear 57 meshing with and driven from a worm 58 carried by drive shaft 59. Suitable means may be provided for connecting the raising and lowering mechanism at the opposite sides of the leer so that the opposite ends of the rolls will be raised and lowered simultaneously the same distance to maintain the said rolls always in a horizontal position.

Vhen the high speed rolls 31 are in their elevated position so that they are in horizontalv alignment with the low speed rolls 30, the parts of the raising andlowering mechanism assume the position indicated in Fig. 3 with the links 49 and 51 in a substantially extended position. When itis desired to lower the rolls 3l, however, the eccentrics 56 are'rotated so as to cause a folding or collapsing of the said links whereupon the lowering of the rolls will take place. The high speed rolls 31 may be driven from the motor 27 through driving means 60 as shown or a separate drive' for the rolls 3l may be Vprovided if preferred. Vhen it is desired to form a glass sheet or plate 20, the high speed rolls 3l are raised to the same level as the low speed rolls 30 so that both sets of rolls will tunction to support the glass sheet thereupon as it is delivered into the receiving section A of the leer.'V A mass of molten glass 11 is then deposited upon the receiver l() and moved therefrom to the 'forming rolls 13 and 14 and reduced thereby to sheet form at a relatively high rate of speed such as for example in the neighborhood of sixty feet per minute. During the formation 0f the sheet, the rolls 23 and 3l are positively Vproximately ifivei feet. per: minute: As.; yth glass Vsheet- 20' is` received upon the Arolls 23',-

it is carried forwardly, at its speed of forma`- .rolls 30 and 31 of the sheet is formed driven; atrollin-g speed whilefthe-Yrolls k3) and- 32 are positively-A driven` ati al muchslower annealing speed which may be forf example' ap Y tion and delivered atsuch speed into the leer 29 wherein it is initially supported upon the the receiving section A. The high speed rolls 31 function to carry the sheet forwardly at its speed of formation and during this period of travel of the sheet, and due to the provision of the overrunning clutches, the low speed rol-ls will be kcaused to overrun their driving means and thereby synchronize with the high speed rolls. Thus, as the sheet is received upon the rolls of the receiving section A of the leer, it will overrun the low speed rolls 30 and be carried forwardly by the high speed rolls 31. After the entire sheet has been received upon the leer section A, however, the high speed rolls 31 are lowered away from and out of Contact with Vthe glass sheet 20 with the result .that the rol-ls 30 will be permitted to slow ldown and thus effect a corresponding slowing in the forward travel of the sheet. When the rolls 30 have slowed downto the annealing speed, they will be positively driven at suchspeed so as to deliver vthe sheet onto the rolls 32 which serve to carry the same forwardly through the leer at a constant annealing speed which may be, as above stated, approximately five feet per minute. After the glass sheet passes from the rolls 30 onto the rolls 32, the high speed rolls 31 are again raised to the sheet supporting level whereupon a second sheet may be formed.

From the above, it will be seen that while at a relatively high rate of speed, it will be delivered into the annealing section B of the leer and carried therethrough at a relatively slower leering speed. Thus, by the use of the present invention, it is possible to attain those advantages incident to the rapid formation of the sheet and likewise those advantages which result from slower annealing of the glass. The change in the speed of travel of the sheet is also effected without the necessity of stopping the sheet or shifting` the same either vertically or laterally. The relative speeds herein given are merely by way of example and inasmuch as a wide range of speeds may be used, the invention is not limited to the specific speeds mentioned. Also other types of driving means for the rolls may be used and likewise otherV raising and lowering mechanism.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodimentof the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the Y of alternately' arranged Vrelatively low speed, and means spirit` of the invention or the scopeyof the subjoined' claims.

I claim: f 1. In sheet glass apparatus, a conveyorV for receiving a newly formed sheet from a formr in the same direction at different speeds,v

means for raising and loweringone set of rolls` with respect to the second set of rolls,

and means associated with the second setof rolls forA allowing said rolls to synchronize with the rolls ofthe first set. Q?. In sheet glass apparatus, a conveyor forA receiving a newly formed sheet from a form'-V ing machine and delivering it into anannealing zone, including two sets of rolls adapted tovbe arranged at times in the' same horizontal' plane for simultaneously engaging the sheet and carrying it forwardly, the rolls of onel set being arranged alternately with the rolls of the other set, means for positively driving one set of rolls'ata relatively high speed, means for positively drivingftheother set of y speed, means for raising and lowering the rolls driven at the higher speed relative to the rolls driven at the slower speed, and meansA associated with the low speed rolls for vallowing said rolls to synchronize with the'high speedv` rolls. y 3. In sheet glass apparatus, means'for re- Cei-ving a newlyformed sheet from a forming machine and delivering it into an annealing leer,jincluding a conveyor sectioncomposed of alternately arranged high and low-'speed rolls adapted at times to simultaneous-ly engage the sheet and carry it for-i wardly, overrunning clutches associated with thev low speed rolls to permit them to synchronize with-the high speed rolls, and means for'raising and lower-ing the highspeed rolls with respect to the low speed rolls. y ifIn sheet glass apparatus, a conveyor for receiving a newly formed sheet from form-r ingY machine and delivering it into an annealing leen/said conveyor being composed high and low speed' ro'lls, withthe low speed rolls being stationary, means for raising and lowering the high speed' rolls relative to the low' speed rolls, said'highspeedrolls,l whenin raised position,y being inv a common plane with said low speed rolls, means for driving the high spcedirolls at. aconstant relatively nigh speed,means for` driving the low speed rolls at a constant a ssociated? with the saidA low speed rolls .for causing the-sameto overrun their drivingnieans andlsynchronize with the high speed: rolls.

5.- 1in-sheet glass apparatus, a conveyorfor rolls at a relatively slowerV iria receiving a newly formed sheet from a forming machine and delivering it into an annealing leer, said conveyor including a plurality of horizontally aligned rolls constituting a constantly driven low speed section, two setsA of rolls positioned in advance of the said conveyor section and constituting a second conveyor section, said second-named conveyor speed rolls of the second-mentioned conveyor section at a relatively slow speed substantially equal to the speed of the rolls of the first-mentioned conveyor section, and means associated with the low speed rolls of said second-named conveyor section for causing said rolls to overrun their driving means and synchronize with the high speed rolls.

6. The method of handling ncwiy formed sheets of glass, comprising carrying the glass sheet forwardly and delivering it at relatively high rate of speed onto a series of rotatable supporting rolls, positively driving alternate rolls at a. speed substantially equal to the speed at which the sheet is delivered l thereupon, simultaneously positively driving the remaining rolls at a relatively slower speed, in causing the slow speed rolls to be driven by the sheet and thereby synchronized. with the high speed rolls as the said sheet is delivered upon said rolls, and in then lowering the high speed rolls away from and out of contact with the sheet when said sheet reaches a predetermined position, thereby causing the forward speed of travel of the. sheet to be reduced to a speed equal to that at which the slow speed rolls are positively driven.

7 The method of handling newly formed sheets of glass, comprising carrying the glass sheet forwardly and delivering it at a relatively high rate of speed onto a series of rotatable rolls divided into two separate sets which cooperate to simultaneously support the sheet, positively.7 driving one set of rolls at a speed substantially equal Vto the speed at which the sheet is delivered thereupon, simultaneously positively driving the other set of rolls at a relatively slower speed, in causing the slow speed rolls to be driven by the sheet and thereby synchronized with the high speed rolls as the said sheet is delivered upon said rolls, and in then lowering the high speed rolls away from and out of Contact K with the sheet when said sheet reaches a predetermined position, thereby causing the forand State of Ohio, this 17th Vvday of December, 1929.

- f 4JOHN L. DRAKE. 

